Galleries to focus on the familiar and the strange

Dean Clough in Halifax is one of the largest private galleries in the country with an ambitious programme of three main art exhibitions each year, alongside a permanent private collection.

Dean Clough’s contemporary arts programme enjoys national significance and has a 30 year record of partnerships with both galleries all over the country, including the Tate, UK universities and colleges, and organisations such as the Henry Moore Institute. The venue’s spring exhibitions run fromFebruary 17 with work by artists including Carolyn Mendelsohn, Doug Binder, Polli Kaminski and Martin Hearne.

‘Down the M606’, in the Mosaic Gallery will feature Martin Hearne’s Hopper-esque oil paintings of Bradford. “All about light and shade”, they present a blend of sites in each scene so they are not quite recognisable. Best known for his work in ceramics, he recently returned to painting.

Barry Cook is best known for his symbolic cartoon work but in ‘Five Leaves of Elder’ in the Link Gallery he has been persuaded to ‘let down his hair’ and use photography, found moorland materials and ink and gouache .

In ‘Me and You’ in the Bookshop, Sheila Gaffney and Linda Schwab show an intimate display of small sculptures and digital art by two friends, both long-standing artists, and Carolyn Mendelsohn’s exhibition ‘In Between’ in the Crossley Gallery focuses on the artist’s photographs of 10-12 year old girls with a soundscape by Graham Coatman. It’s a powerful show that provokes recognition and reflection.

Doug Binder, the painter and former curator of Dean Clough Galleries, will display his 20-year-old outsized oil painting ‘Pegasus and Wheel’ for re-appraisal in the Spotlight Gallery and in her first UK exhibition, French photographer Polli Kaminski will show her alluring and meditative images on the significance of a bouquet of flowers.

Other artists showing their work include Raymond Russell, Richard Wincer and Ian C Taylor.

There will be a preview of the spring exhibitions on Saturday, February 24 from noon to 2pm. For more information tel: 01422 250250 or visit deanclough.com

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